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Jan. 24, 1956 s. w. MOUNT HAND MAGNETIC PICK UP TOOL Filed March 13,1952 INVENTOR) 'eorye 1% Mimi/f.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent HAND MAGNETIC PICK UP TOOL George W.Mount, Greenfield, Mass.

Application March 13, 1952, Serial No. 276,394

3 Claims. (Cl. 294-655) This invention relates to a hand magnetic pickup tool.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device which maybe manufactured at relatively low cost and which will meet the needs ofupholsterers for a means of removing a quantity of tacks from a keg orother large containers and deposit them in the 'smaller containers whichserve the individual workmen at the point of use.

A further object is to provide a structure which makes the mostefiicient use of so-called permanent magnet material.

Other and further objects residing in the details of construction willbe made apparent in the following specification and claims and thedisclosure of the drawing.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a tool embodying the invention, parts beingbroken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified structure; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a further modification.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a tubular sheath formed ofnon-magnetic material such as copper, brass, bronze or plastic. A lengthof conventional copper or brass tubing having a wall thickness of theorder of of an inch or less is satisfactory for the purpose and has theadvantage of commercial availability in thin cross sections.

Positioned within the thin sheath 1 is a permanent magnet designated at2. By permanent magnet is meant a magnet formed from one of the alloyswhich provide magnets of extremely high attractive force and whichretain a high attractive force indefinitely, such as the Alnico alloys.The magnet 2 preferably makes a snug sliding fit within the sheath 1,and one end of the magnet is substantially flush with the adjacent endof the sheath 1. The remaining length of the sheath is filled with anon-magnetic material preferably in the form of a solid or monolithicpiece 3, such as a length of plastic rod or a piece of wood, moldedfibre or the like. A piece of wood making a snug sliding fit within thesheath forms an economical and satisfactory filler member for thepurpose. One end of piece 3 engages the adjacent end of the magnetmember 2, the other end of the piece 3 being substantially flush withthe adjacent end of the sheath.

The forward end of the sheath at which the magnet is positioned isclosed by a steel cap 4 which is soldered, brazed or otherwise securedto the end portion of the sheath. The other or rear end of the tube isclosed by a cap 5 similar to cap 4. Cap 4 is preferably secured in placebefore the magnet 2 and filler 3 are placed in the tube so that there isno danger of the magnet being deleteriously affected by the heat ofsoldering or brazing the cap to the sheath. With cap 4 in place themagnet 2 and filler 3 may be inserted successively into the sheath fromthe still open rear end of the sheath.

Before cap 5 is placed on the rear end of the tube, an annular member 6formed of molded plastic or other non-magnetic material may be slippedonto the sheath, the member 6 being slidable on the sheath but withsufficient friction to be normally retained frictionally in any desiredposition on the sheath. The cap 5 having been secured in place, a bore 7is drilled through the sheath 1 and filler 3 adjacent the rear end ofthe tool and the end portions of a bail 8 are inserted in opposite endsof the bore to provide means by which the tool may be supported in aconvenient location for use. The bail 8 is not essential to the use ofthe tool. However, its ends extending into the bore 7 provide means tohold the filler 3 and magnet 2 in fixed end to end relation with theforward end of the magnet in contact with cap 4, so that when the bailis present, cap 5, which in the absence of the bail serves to hold theassembly together, may be omitted.

The ring 6 is a convenience in removing a load of tacks picked up at themagnetic end of the tool. As will be apparent movement of ring 6 fromthe full line position of Fig. l to the dotted line position of thatfigure will force the bulk of the tacks along the sides of the sheathand off the forward end of the tool.

The dimensions of the tool are not critical except that the diameter ofthe sheath and contents should be sufliciently large to provide acomfortable grasp of the tool by the hand and provide a magnet ofadequate strength. A structure on substantially the scale of Fig. 1 issatisfactory for the purpose.

In the modified form of structure shown in Fig. 2 the bar magnet of theform shown in Fig. l is replaced by an annular magnet 10 of greaterdiameter but of shorter length, the increased diameter may be such thatwith the form of the magnet the tool has a magnetic field ofapproximately the same strength as that of Fig. l but with the fieldmore concentrated at the forward end of the tool. In the form of Fig. 2,the tubular sheath 11, preferably in the form of a length of copper orbrass tubing, extends only part way along the length of the fillermember 12, the length of the sheath 11 being, however, at leastsufi'icient to cover the sides of the magnet and that portion of thefiller member which is with in the field of the magnet so that thesurface to which the tacks adhere consists of the smooth relatively hardsurface of the sheath. Particularly where wood or similar material isused for the filler member the points of the tacks may become slightlyimbedded in the surface interfering with the removal of the tacks by thehand or a ring such as 6 in Fig. 1. The portion of the filler member 12which is surrounded by the sheath 11 is redueed in diameter, as at 13,by an amount equal to the thickness of the sheath wall so that thesurface of the sheath and the surface of the filler member rearwardlythereof are continuous one with the other.

The magnet 10, the sheath 11 and the filler member are held in fixedrelation to each other by a cap member 14 which fits snugly over the endof the sheath and is held by a screw 15 extending through the centeropening 16 of the annular magnet and engaging in the end of the fillermember 12. The end of member 12, remote from the magnet, is preferablyprovided with a transverse bore 17 which receives the ends of a bail 18similar to bail 8 previously described.

A further modification is shown in Fig. 3 where a magnet 20 similar tomagnet 10 is positioned within the end of a non-magnetic sheath 21similar to sheath 1] which is telescoped over a reduced portion of awood filler piece 22. As shown, the filler piece 22, rearward- 1y of thesheath is reduced as at 23 to provide a handle portion of approximatelythe diameter of the tool of Fig. 1. A cap, such as shown at 14 in Fig.2, is omitted and the magnet 20 is held to the end of the filler 22 by ascrew 24 which extends through an opening 25 on the magnet. The sheath21 is independently held in place on the filler by screws 26 or othersuitable means. The free end of handle portion 23 is provided with atransverse bore 27 which receives the ends of the bail 28.

The invention provides a simple, sturdy pick up tool which can becheaply manufactured, which meets the needs of upholsterers and can beused for removing stray tacks and other small metal pieces from workbenches, the floor and other surfaces.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic lifting hand tool which comprises a hollow cylinder formedof non-magnetic metal, a cylindrical permanent magnet having an outerdiameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said hollowcylinder fitted snugly in one end of the hollow cylinder with one end ofthe magnet positioned flush with the adjacent end of the hollowcylinder, a cylindrical wooden filler piece having an outside diametersubstantially equal to the inside diameter of the hollow tube fittedsnugly within the hollow cylinder with its end tightly engaging theinner end of the magnet, a steel cap engaging the outer end of themagnet and secured to and closing the adjacent end of the hollowcylinder, and means to secure said wooden filler piece in the hollowcylinder and in said tight engagement with the inner end of the magnet,said wooden filler piece filling the major portion of the hollowcylinder to limit the magnetic field produced by the magnet to the endportion of the hollow cylinder in which the magnet is located.

2. A magnetic lifting hand tool which comprises a hollow cylinder formedof non-magnetic metal, a permanent magnet in the form of a solidcylinder having a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter ofsaid hollow cylinder fitted snugly in one end of the hollow cylinderwith one end of the magnet positioned flush with the adjacent end of thehollow cylinder, a cylindrical wooden filler piece having a diametersubstantially equal to the inner diameter of said hollow cylinder fittedsnugly within the hollow cylinder with its inner end tightly engagingthe inner end of the magnet and its outer end flush with the adjacentend of the hollow cylinder, and respective caps secured to and closingthe ends of the cylinder, said caps respectively engaging the outer endsof said magnet and wooden cylinder and holding the magnet and woodencylinder rigidly in place, the cap engaging the outer end of the magnetbeing formed of steel, the wooden cylinder filling the major portion ofthe hollow cylinder to limit the magnetic field produced by the magnetto the end portion of the hollow cylinder in which the magnet islocated.

3. A tool as recited in claim 2, having an annular member of plasticslidably engaged on the hollow cylinder, the inner diameter of theannular member being less than the outer diameter of the caps to retainsaid member permanently on the hollow cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,228,690 Crary Jan. 14, 1941 2,390,339 Ullman et al Dec. 4, 19452,405,655 Kehoe Aug. 13, 1 946 FOREIGN PATENTS 122,983 Australia Dec.19, 1946

